Stone Cold Steve Austin’s shocking heel turn at WrestleMania 17 is still debated more than two decades later, and now Jim Ross has added fresh fuel to that discussion. On a recent episode of Grilling JR, the longtime WWE commentator revealed he strongly opposed Austin aligning with Vince McMahon in 2001, believing the move undercut WWE’s biggest star at the peak of the Attitude Era.
“I thought it was a bad fit,” Ross said. “I thought it was bad creative. I tried to talk everybody who would listen out of doing it.” Ross explained that he pushed back against the idea internally, arguing that fans didn’t want to boo Austin and that the story didn’t need the turn to succeed. Reflecting on Austin’s own later regrets, Ross added, “I think Steve probably… if he had to do it all over again, he wouldn’t have done it. And that would’ve been fine. Nobody would’ve protested. Rock would not have said st.**”
Why this still matters is simple: Austin’s heel turn is often cited as a symbolic turning point where WWE’s hottest boom period began to cool off. Coming immediately after WrestleMania 17, widely regarded as one of the greatest shows in company history, the decision reshaped WWE’s creative direction and altered how fans connected with its top star. With modern heel turns, including John Cena’s recent run, once again under scrutiny, Ross’s comments highlight a recurring lesson in wrestling history: just because a twist is shocking doesn’t mean it’s the right move.
As WWE continues to experiment with legacy stars and bold creative swings, Austin’s 2001 heel turn remains a cautionary tale, one that veterans like Jim Ross are still urging the industry not to repeat.
